Inside the meeting hall, the arguments continued, broadly divided into three viewpoints.
The first was the radical faction.
They believed Sunagakure must crush Kirigakure's army completely. However severe Kirigakure's terms for Sunagakure had once been, Sunagakure must now impose those same terms on Kirigakure.
Kirigakure had once demanded Pakura and massive war reparations.
Now Sunagakure should demand Juzo Biwa, Yagura Karatachi, and Jinpachi Munashi in return, along with enormous compensation.
The second was the conservative faction.
In a bizarre twist, the conservatives thought the radicals were not nearly extreme enough.
In their view, the relationship between Sunagakure and Kirigakure had already reached the point of irreconcilable hatred. Unless Kirigakure was destroyed, no one would ever sleep soundly again.
If they fought, then they had to fight until Kirigakure was wiped out completely.
Kirigakure had to vanish from the shinobi world, just like Uzushiogakure once had.
Its shinobi had to be captured and enslaved, forced to use Water Release in the great deserts of the Land of Wind every day so the desert environment could be improved.
Only a very small number feared Konoha.
"Konoha is too strong."
"Hiruzen Sarutobi did not earn the title 'Professor' for nothing. And the Sannin's strength goes without saying. They simply haven't appeared on the main battlefield yet. If they do, who can stop them?"
"Kirigakure has already allied with Konoha. I think we should stop while we're ahead."
"Peace is what matters most."
But such voices were quickly drowned out and heard by almost no one.
At the end, Rasa delivered his summary.
"Everyone, I have heard your views."
"The two sides differ in some ways, but they also share common ground. I will consider everything seriously, weigh the matter carefully, and formulate a final strategy."
"That will be all for today. Meeting adjourned."
After the meeting ended, Rasa kept Ebizo behind.
"Kazekage-sama."
Rasa asked, "Ebizo, how is the follow-up investigation into the Akayama Clan proceeding?"
Ebizo replied, "Kazekage-sama, aside from the Akayama Clan, the leaking of village intelligence also involved some civilian shinobi. I have already placed them under control."
"Do you have a list?"
Ebizo produced one.
Rasa glanced over it, then closed it and handed it back.
"Ebizo, add the Gangfeng Clan to it."
Ebizo froze.
"The Gangfeng Clan?"
"That's right."
Rasa nodded.
"I received intelligence that the Gangfeng Clan, like the Akayama Clan, participated in selling out village intelligence. And now they are preparing to plot something further."
"Send shinobi to monitor them in secret."
Ebizo frowned slightly.
"I never imagined the Gangfeng Clan would do such a thing. If I remember correctly, back when they had nowhere to go, it was Sunagakure that took them in and let them survive."
"Kazekage-sama, rest assured. I will have them watched closely."
Rasa added one more instruction.
"Observe them in secret. Do not act rashly or alert them. Since the Gangfeng Clan intends to betray the village, I want to use this opportunity and see whether we can strike the shinobi village cooperating with them."
"We can't let the Gangfeng Clan go to waste."
That was why Rasa wanted Ebizo personally handling the surveillance.
Compared to the ANBU, Ebizo was more experienced and more capable in this kind of matter.
Ebizo nodded.
"Yes, Kazekage-sama."
After seeing Ebizo off, Rasa checked the remaining time on the One-Day Inner Voice Listening Card.
There was very little left.
So he went directly to find Shirasuna Koichi.
Koichi looked surprised by Rasa's arrival.
"Kazekage-sama?"
"Elder Shirasuna."
Rasa stepped forward and said, "I noticed your spirits were not very high during the meeting. Is it because I refused your earlier proposal? Do you bear some dissatisfaction?"
Koichi hurriedly denied it.
"Kazekage-sama jests. Isn't the current situation proof that your earlier decision was the correct one?"
"If we had surrendered back then, how could Sunagakure have ended up where it is today?"
"Pakura would have been sacrificed for nothing."
"It's only that I feel I've truly grown old. My ability and judgment are no longer what they were. I fear I am no longer fit for the position of elder. I ask that Kazekage-sama choose someone more capable."
But Rasa knew those were not his true thoughts.
[Tch. Tch. Tch. You're the Kazekage. How would I dare hold any dissatisfaction?
I'm just an elder, nothing more.
You and Pakura are one family now. Sunagakure is your family's Sunagakure. I'm an outsider. My words don't matter, so why bother saying them? I'd only be humiliated by you anyway.]
"Elder Shirasuna, you're joking. We may have different views, but our starting point is the same—we both want what is best for Sunagakure. I know your ability well."
"The village still needs you. I still need you."
Koichi's eyes flickered, and then he let out a deep sigh.
"To be valued so highly by Kazekage-sama—what more could I say? I will continue to do my utmost in the position of elder and set your mind at ease."
[Rasa, Rasa… you never valued me before. You never respected me, an elder and a senior.
And now you say these things? Too late.
I'm already disappointed in you.
And disappointed in this village as well.
Pakura deliberately caused my younger daughter's death, and then my grandson's death too. This hatred cannot be shared under the same sky.
If I do not kill Pakura, how can I continue to call myself human?
As her husband, there is no chance you'll stand on my side.
Even if you know perfectly well that Pakura is guilty.
I have nothing left in this village anymore.
Danzo's side is already prepared.
I will personally bring Danzo's people into Sunagakure.
Sunagakure will suffer a devastating blow.
But I have not wronged the village.
The village wronged me first.]
Rasa glanced at Koichi.
So Koichi's contact was Danzo of Konoha.
Yet the more he thought about it, the less surprising it seemed.
Danzo clearly was not the Hokage, yet he constantly believed he had to do the Hokage's work.
And he always believed Hiruzen Sarutobi had not done enough. Had not gone far enough.
So he called himself Konoha's Root. Konoha's darkness.
He comforted himself with the belief that he alone was the one truly, wholly devoted to Konoha.
For Konoha, he could do anything.
He could abandon his name and reputation.
He could carry infamy.
He could sacrifice everything.
He was Konoha's true hero.
He believed his own capacity far surpassed Hiruzen Sarutobi's.
Danzo was exactly the kind of man who loved doing this sort of thing everywhere.
Koichi's inner voice continued.
[Soon. Very soon. Danzo's people will arrive in two days.
Just wait, Rasa.
You'll pay for your lustfulness.
This is the retribution for marrying Pakura.]